7-12 Life Science Day 3: Genetics

Overview

Teachers will explore DNA replication, transcription, and translation through completing hands-on activities and laboratories. The activities will allow teachers to further improve their knowledge on what genes and DNA are, why genes are needed, and how and when protein synthesis occurs.  At the end of these activities, a brief discussion will be held on the effect of gene mutations on proteins. C. elegans will be used to complete a laboratory activity that allows silencing two different genes in the roundworm using RNA interference technique. Following the lab activities, teachers will use Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) to explore C. elegans genes and their relationships to genes from different organisms.

Standards Addressed

7.4.3.1.x Reproduction is a characteristic of all organisms and is essential for the continuation of a species. Hereditary information is contained in genes which are inherited through asexual or sexual reproduction. 
9.4.3.1.xGenetic information found in the cell provides information for assembling proteins, which dictate the expression of traits in an individual.
9.4.3.2.3Explain how mutations like deletions, insertions, rearrangements or substitutions of DNA segments in gametes may have no effect, may harm, or rarely may be beneficial, and can result in genetic variation within a species.
9.4.4.2.1 Describe how some diseases can sometimes be predicted by genetic testing and how this affects parental and community decisions.
9.4.4.2.5 Recognize that a gene mutation in a cell can result in uncontrolled cell division called cancer and how exposure of cells to certain chemicals and radiation increases mutations and thus increases the chance of cancer.